Libya confirms prison riot that killed one inmate
The Associated Press
Published: October 11, 2006
TRIPOLI, Libya Libyan officials have confirmed that one inmate
was killed and several injured in an uprising
at a desert detention center for
political prisoners.
Amnesty International and Libyan opposition groups in exile
last week reported that
guards shot at inmates of the Abu Salim prison on
Oct. 4. Those reports said one prisoner was killed
and at least nine wounded.
In the first official report of the mutiny, the official news
agency JANA on Tuesday cited the Libyan
prosecutor's officers as saying one prisoner died
and that three inmates and eight police were wounded.
The report denied the earlier claims that the dead prisoner was
shot, saying he had been struck on the head
by a heavy object.
Amnesty and the opposition groups reported that the riot broke
out after some 190 prisoners were returned
from a court proceeding where many of them
had been sentenced to death or life imprisonment.
The statement reported by JANA said prisoners occupied offices
at the prison after returning from the court.
They were joined by other inmates, some
armed with iron bars obtained from a prison construction site,
the report said.
"The prisoners tried to attack the police force while others
climbed the prison gate and windows in an
attempt to flee, which forced the guards to
use weapons to control the situation," the statement said.
TRIPOLI, Libya Libyan officials have confirmed that one inmate
was killed and several injured in an uprising
at a desert detention center for
political prisoners.
Amnesty International and Libyan opposition groups in exile
last week reported that
guards shot at inmates of the Abu Salim prison on
Oct. 4. Those reports said one prisoner was killed
and at least nine wounded.
In the first official report of the mutiny, the official news
agency JANA on Tuesday cited the Libyan
prosecutor's officers as saying one prisoner died
and that three inmates and eight police were wounded.
The report denied the earlier claims that the dead prisoner was
shot, saying he had been struck on the head
by a heavy object.
Amnesty and the opposition groups reported that the riot broke
out after some 190 prisoners were returned
from a court proceeding where many of them
had been sentenced to death or life imprisonment.
The statement reported by JANA said prisoners occupied offices
at the prison after returning from the court.
They were joined by other inmates, some
armed with iron bars obtained from a prison construction site,
the report said.
"The prisoners tried to attack the police force while others
climbed the prison gate and windows in an
attempt to flee, which forced the guards to
use weapons to control the situation," the statement said.
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